What better way to conjure up images of East L.A. Pachuco boogie circa 1950: Zoot suits, crooners and lovely Latinas, than listening to bonafide music of the era? With the resurgence of 50's music and culture in Southern California, their music is ripe for the picking.
Urban Mexican American musicians combined swing, jazz, Latin influences, R&B, skeet singing and Spanglish to create a unique music. Rebellious and improvisational, the music is all about fun and some of the drug references could make Cypress Hill blush.
"Wine-O Boogie" possesses the tongue in cheek wordplay that makes a song about hangovers fun. 50 years before Cypress Hill's "I want to get high" enlightened Latinos and gringos alike, "El Tírili (The Reefer Man)" laid the tracks for the marijuana anthem. It's like listening to "Minnie the Moocher" as an adult and realizing there is a subcontext.
Of course, Pachucos and their image were as reviled as they were revered. "Los Pachucos" is a traditional Mexican melody by Las Hermanas Mendoza that describes them as mooching bums, though admittedly they're still cool. On "El Bracero y la Pachuca" Mexican tradition and urban pachucos meet in opposites—attract love story that gently mocks both Mexican sincerity and pachuco slang.
While the obvious influence of blues is heard on "Muy Sabroso Blues", Latin influences are not completely abandoned. With the dance friendly "Chucos Suaves and "Pachuco Mambo" you can almost visualize the dance hall. And we can't forget about Texas. On "Buena Vista Swing" the accordion and bass would make Bob Willis proud.
On one English track, Dacita and Her Orquesta's "Sólido Joaquín" regale the listener with a tale not only of a Latin Lover, but a Pachuco Latin Lover, replete with big band sounds.
So what's next? A Buena Vista Social Club scenario in an East L.A. bar where these musicians meet every week seems quite unlikely. But how about these musicians and songs getting their due with a tribute album? Can you not see Cypress Hill covering "El Tírili (Reefer Man)", Los Lobos doing "Pachuco Mambo", and Ely Guerra doing "Sólido Joaquín"? Brian Setzer could do a mean "Wine-O-Boogie"….
In the meantime, kudos to Arhoolie Records for putting together such a great collection that deserves its place next to the Texas swing of Bob Wills and the swing of the Duke.
Pachuco Boogie Pachuco Boogie
